Food, Fashion & Beauty Wonderland

Lunch at Sono Japanese Restaurant, Portside

2015-01-14T02:48:00.001-08:00

Japanese is one of the many favourite cuisines of mine when it comes to food. So when my girl friends ask me to organize a lunch date for us, I instantly recommended Sono at Portside knowing that they offer $25 business lunch set during Wednesday to Friday. The girls happily agreed!

I’ve made a reservation for the 5 of us and they have nicely organized a Tatami room for us with river view so I can park my pram in the room too.

The Business Lunch Set includes:

Salad
Salmon sashimi (3 pieces) or Prawn & Avo sushi (3 pieces)
A choice of main between Mini Wagyu Sukiyaki, Teriyaki Chicken, Pork Katsu and Assorted Tempura
Steam rice
Miso soup

I’ve chosen Salmon Sashimi over the sushi and Assorted Tempura as my main. I feel the presentation of food is fantastic although I’m a bit disappointed in the portion size and quality of food.

I’ve eaten tempura at many Japanese restaurants in Brisbane, Hong Kong and Japan. The perfect tempura should be lightly battered that it tastes crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside even when it’s cooled down. It should leave you with an oily feeling after eating. Unfortunately that is not the case when we dine at Sono. My tempura is so oily that I can see the oil marks on the paper placed in between the tempura and the serving plate. As I have a baby to feed and look after, I only start eating my tempura when they have cooled down, and it’s not that nice at all, a little too oily and soggy. It’s got a good variety of prawn, fish, pumpkin and eggplant though. I finished all my food anyhow. I wish my bowl of rice is a bit bigger so I won’t feel like I need more food after this meal.

Service is pretty good in general as all the staff members are friendly and welcoming although during the lunch service we didn’t get our green tea topped up regularly leaving us feeling thirsty during the meal.

Will I return? Yes, I’m hoping to see some improvements as there’re lots of emerging Japanese restaurants serving quality food at reasonable prices in the suburban areas. Sono really needs to put some efforts to give us a reason to visit again!

Average spend per person this time - $30

A Guide to Ordering Food Delivery Online

2014-10-24T17:26:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I last blogged. I moved houses, got pregnant, had a baby and now my maternity leave is coming to an end as I'm going back to work (part time) next week! My first blog post after my long break is going to be a dummy's guide on how to order food delivery online because you may know being a busy new mum means less time for cooking yummy homemade food. So to keep hubby happy, I've decided to give Menulog, an online food delivery ordering website a go.

Menulog's website is really user friendly and easy to use. You just need to type in your postcode or suburb of where you're living in, it will bring up restaurants that offer delivery for your to choose from.

I've been craving for Thai so I've chosen Tasty Thai Kitchen to place my order. But if you can't decide what you are going to order, you can always read the reviews before making a decision. The online menu is easy to browse. As a first time user myself, I find it very straight forward to place my order or edit my order. If there is a minimum order amount, it will show on your order details letting you know how far you're off from that amount. Some restaurant even order discount on first order and/loyalty reward (you get a free meal after ordering 9 times from the same restaurant).

Once you've placed the order and paid for it (there's a wide range of payment options, Visa/AMEX/paypal etc.), an instant SMS confirmation with delivery time will be sent to your phone. I placed my order at 6pm, received an SMS at 6:20pm with an estimated delivery time 7:20pm. But guess what my food came earlier than the estimated delivery time. They arrived just before 7pm. I'm very glad because I was pretty hungry. Hubby is excited to see how quick the food got delivered and that they are hot and fresh!

**Disclaimer: This post is an incentivised partnership with Menulog.

Spring is here in Brisbane!

2012-09-27T04:33:00.000-07:00

Winter is officially over and Spring is here! My world has been a little bit chaotic for the past few months. I travelled back home to attend a wedding for my very special best friend of 19 years, had a little getaway holiday with hubby in Tokyo, Japan while we're there, reunite with my cousin that I've never seen for 20 years, changed my job which means I'm getting a lot of training myself as well as training new staff who replaced my role. These are just a few of the major ones.

Finally things have settled a little bit and I can't wait to get back to the blogosphere again!

Below are some pictures from my overseas trip.

At bride's home

Taking a break from wearing the high heels

Bridesmaids

Me at the wedding reception

Delicious looking bread and pastries at Japanese bakery

Okonomiyaki (Japanese savoury pancakes) on a hot plate

Picture perfect cakes

At Toyota museum - "Can u see me in the Toyota 86?"

Can't go pass a warm and yummy Japanese ramen!

Chilling out at the Gucci cafe (there're only 2 in the world, one in Milan and the other in Ginza, Japan)

I wish I can go on holiday again soon!!
Do you wonder what I hauled when I was overseas? Stay tuned!

Haul: Bargain Hunter on the move!

2011-11-02T05:45:00.000-07:00

To me, shopping is always fun and it's even more fun if I picked up any bargains. I truely believe in "never pay full price" when I shop. At the end of the day, we just want to get more bangs for our bucks, right?

On my recent trip to Gold Coast, I saw some further reductions at a lot of the shop. How can I resist to BARGAINS??

Bargains!!

I can tell you the retail price of them come to a total of AU$375. Can you guess how much I spent for all these? I've only spent AU$151 in total! Amazing haul? You can look for these bargains at Harbourtown in Gold Coast too!

Here's a list of what I've got:

Red dress from French Connection
Multi-colour dress from French Connection
Beige dress from Temt
T-shirt from David Jones Clearance store
Varies beauty and perfume samples from David Jones

Do you like bargain like I do?
What bargains have you picked up recently?

Alicee x

The Little Cube @ Sunnybank

2011-10-26T05:50:00.000-07:00

Hubby & I went to watch movie Real Steal in Sunnybank a few days ago. Given that there are so many restaurants and eateries available in Sunnybank and that we have an hour to spare, we decided to have a quick dinner before the movie starts at 6:30pm.

We headed to The Little Cube located outside of the Sunnybank Plaza. The Little Cube is right next to Cube Hot Pot being its sister restaurant. It's pretty quiet and we're the only dine in customer because 5:30pm is still early for dinner.

Decor looks simple and clean

Soon after we've been seated, a waiter brought us a pot of Chinese tea and menu. The menu is in both Chinese and English. We ordered a Twice Cooked Pork Belly Slices, a Sweet & Sour Pork Loin Strips and two steamed rice. It only took a few minutes for the food to arrive. To be honest, I am shocked at how quickly our meals were being served although the restaurant was quiet. No matter how much I appreciate the efficient service we're getting, when I found out the steamed rice wasn't fresh and steamingly warm, I felt really disappointed. Instantly I know this dinner won't be as enjoyable as it could have been with this somewhat lukewarm rice (most likely being leftover from their lunch service). I didn't ask the waiter to give us fresh rice as I would imagine they haven't got any just yet, otherwise they would have served us the fresh one!

The disappointing steamed rice is a big "no no"!

Twice cooked pork belly slices $14.80

The Twice Cooked Pork Belly Slices can be ordered as mild, medium or hot. The one we got is mild. The flavour was pretty good although the pork belly was a bit too greasy and fatty. As you can see from the picture above, there's a fair bit of oil in this dish.

Sweet & sour pork loin strips $15.80

The Sweet & Sour Pork Loin Strips was pretty flavoursome although I prefer the batter of the pork loin to be a bit crispier.

Overall, our dining experience was average mainly due to the steamed rice being not fresh. Price wise the meal wasn't expensive (our bill is less than $35) but they are plenty of other options at the similar or cheaper price range in Sunnybank. Service is quick but maybe too quick?

P.S. Be sure to have cash with you because this restaurant accepts cash payments only.

Smashbox Limited Edition - Girls On Film Collection

2011-10-23T07:10:00.000-07:00

Smashbox Cosmetics was originally created for Smashbox Studios, a premier photo and film studio in LA founded by 2 grandsons of Hollywood cosmetics legend Max Factor in the 1990s. Smashbox Cosmetics was sold to Estee Lauder in 2010. In Australia, Smashbox Cosmetics can be found at Kit Cosmetics and Mecca Maxima stores.

Girls on Film - Limited Edition Collection

Girls on Fim Colletcion is a NEW and limited edition from Smashbox bringing you on set with this film-worthy collection inspired by the magic that happens when you capture the perfect shot. Get in on the studion party. Your closeup is calling!

The Girls on Film Collection includes:

Photo Op Eye Palettes in two shades ($64.95 each)
Cream Eye Liner Travel Brush Set in two shales ($39.95 each)
Blush Rush in two shades ($34.95 each)
Lip Enhancing Gloss in two shades ($26.95)

I seriously fall in love with the collection as soon as I receive the PR media release because all the colours look so beautiful and easy to play with. When I found out I get to try the Photo Op Eye Palette in Softbox, I was totally over the moon (can you feel my excitement when you read this very blog post?).

I want this look!!

Very lovely packaging

Photo taken with flash
Clockwise from top left: Fizz, Pebble, Minx, Sienna, Ignite, Vanilla

Photo taken without flash

This picture-picture eye shadow palette includes 6 Photo Op Eye Shadows in everyday shades Fizz, Pebble, Minx, Vanilla, Ignite and Sienna. This palette creates a multitude of looks that work both on and off set. Smashbox is extremely thoughtful to have a label with QR code stuck underneath the palette for us to download applications tips! I will install a QR reader on my phone soon to download the tips.

Now let's do some swatches of this little beauty!!

Swatchse without flash
Left to right: Fizz, Pebble, Minx, Vanilla, Ignite, Sienna

Swatches with flash

Aren't these colours gorgeous? If you'd like to get your hands on one of these limited edition Girls On Film products, head to your nearest Kit Cosmetics or Mecca Maxima from 24th October 2011.

What do you think of this limited edition?

Which product would you like to get the most?

Share your thoughts with me by leaving a comment below!

Alicee xx

Product sent to me for considerations and review but this does not affect my opinions in any ways. My thoughts and views are purely based on my personal experiences.

Nail it with b collection by Bloom's new Crackle Top Coat

2011-10-21T06:24:00.000-07:00

Crackle Top nail polish has been so popular these days that almost every girl will at least own one Crackle Top nail polish with play with. b collection by Bloom recently just launched 2 Crackle Top Coat exclusively in Target Australia stores.

There are 2 colours - Black and White available for $12.95 each.

Black Crackle Top Coat

White Crackle Top Coat

What b collection says:
Achieving an on-trend nail art look is easy, Simply apply Crackle Top Coat over your favourte b collection nail polish shade and watch as the top coat contracts and shatters appear - allowing your base shade to peek through.

As I got sent a White Crackle Top, I thought it'll be nice to try it with a base coat of red. Here's what it looks like.

What I think:
Price for this Crackle Top Coat is quite affordable compare to some other bigger brand selling for $20 each. Application is very easy, just apply any of your favourite colour nail polish (could be any brand) as a base coat, wait until it's fully dried, then using different brush strokes to create differnt crackle effects. I love watching it crackles, I find it amazing and it feels like the nail polish comes into life and transform into different shapes of crackles. Funny!

Have you ever tried a crackle/shatter nail polish yet?
What colours of Crackle Top Coat you'd like to try?

Product sent to me for considerations and review but this does not affect my opinions in any ways. My thoughts and opinions are purely based on my personal experiences.

Roll On Freshness For Eyes - Clinique

2011-10-17T05:04:00.000-07:00

Clinique Australia was running Clinique IT Guy Seach 2012 a couple of weeks ago. Dear Hubby got influenced by me and bravely nominated himself. We are still yet to find out the nominees who make it into the final for the general public to vote. I'm unsure if Dear Hubby will be selected as one of the finalists but he's received a gift from Clinique in the mail last week.

Eye Gel/Serum for Him & Her!

I got so excited when I found out the gift includes two eye products: Anti-Fatigue Cooling Eye Gel for men (AU$52) and All About Eyes Serum De-Puffing Massage Roll-On (AU$52). How generous is Clinique? This little gift pack worth more than $100 oh my gosh.

Enough heard about all the good comments and reviews of eye roll-on products, now I can try one myself finally (yay how exciting!!). Despite the many skincare products I'm still using now, I can't stop myself from opening this new All About Eyes Serum and start using it. Give me another week or two. I will be reviewing this product how I feel about it!

Roll-on freshness on my under eye please!

The cool colour scheme and packaging for men.

Dear Hubby is not using his roller yet but when he does, I'll get his comments so I can put up a review for him too!

Are you as keen as me wanting to brighten up your eye area?
Have you used an eye roll-on product before?
Share your thoughts with me by leaving a comment now :)

To find out more about Clinique, visit their website www.clinique.com.au

Mecca Bah @ Emporium, Fortitude Valley

2011-10-16T04:46:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine from Hong Kong made a short visit in Brisbane last week so we caught up for lunch before she leaves. Hubby, & I took her to Emporium in Fortitude Valley which is nearby to the hotel she stayed. We've picked Mecca Bah out of all the restaurants at Emporium because it looks like the most popular one and I've rea good reviews of it on Urbanspoon.

The staff greeted us as soon as we walked in and we picked a table outisde given the weather is nice and breezy. The munu is a simple one-page menu with reasonably good variety of entree, salasd, mains and sides. The three of us ordered just 2 mains to share as we planned to have desserts at Freestle Tout which is just opposite to Mecca Bah. The waiter politely asked if we need any entrees to start with because 2 mains might not be enough for 3 persons. So I told him our plan for dessert. Then my friend ordered a Ginfer Beer which she compliments it's the best Ginger Beer she's tried. I didn't take picture of it but I can tell you it's Baundabery Ginge Beer. I got a Lemon Lime Bitters which tastes refreshing and not overly sweet. I quite enjoyed it.

Our first main arrived in about 15 mins which is reasonable. The Spiced lamb kebab with fragrant rice pilaf and yoghurt sauce smells gorgeous. The size of the Spiced Lamb is quite decent. The meat is tender and moist. The fragrant rice is cooked perfectly with a good balance of acidity. I guess they used lemon juice as the finishing touch to the rice.

Spiced Lamb, Fragrant pilaf, Yoghurt sauce

We ordered Spiced chicken with eggplant, rocket & tahini sauce Turkish Pizza for our second main. Turkish Pizza seems like one of the most popular dishes being ordered at Mecca Bah. Presentation is great. I like how the rocket is topped on the pizza. Taste-wise the pizza is pretty good although the eggplant seems not cooked enough to my liking.

Spiced Chicken Turkish Pizza

Overall, the dining experience is quite enjoyable and I would definitely go back and try more dishes from the menu.

Review: Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free

2011-10-10T05:52:00.000-07:00

Kiehl's is a New York-based skin and hair care brand founded as a classic pharmacy in the America 160 years ago. In 2010, Kiehl's sold over 1,480,000 pieces of the iconic Ultra Facial Cream around the world!

I tried the Ultra Facial Moisturiser some time ago but I find it's not too suitable for my oily combination skin type. It feels lightweight when I apply it onto my skin but my face doesn't like it and the oil shine through a few minutes later. I have to give up using it before I start getting any breakouts. When I find out the new Oil-Free collection is launched, I'm very dlighted to be sent the clener and toner to try and I've bought the gel cream to use with them too!

Cleaner, Toner & Gel Cream

What Kiehl's said:

The range consists of an Ultra Facial Oil-Free Cleanser, Toner and Gel Cream which provides all-day hydration plus 24-hour shine control. The result is a healthier, fresher and more balanced complexion.

It's oil-free, paraban-free, silicone-free, dye-free and fragrance-free to help rebalance skin's hydration levels and provide all-day no-shine moisture to skin in three unique ways:

Rebalanced Skin - the skincare regime works to ensure the correct balance of oils and hydration for a healthy skin barrier.
Oil-free Skin Conditioners - highly compatible with normal to oily skin, the oil-free skin conditioners work with the natural lipids of the skin to control shine for up to 24 hours.
Gentle but Effective Formulations - safe for even sensitive skin, Ultra Facial Oil-Free formulas do not irritate skin or over activate it, a common cause of over-production of oil.

What I think:

So this collection sounds like the perfect skincare for my skin type as I've always got an oily T-zone and normal cheek. Something interesting I'll like to reveal is that when I start using these products, my hubby also got attracted by the blue packaging. Yes he even start using the cleanser too! I suppose the oil-free range is suitable for men as they tend to have oily or oily combination skin type.

Now, here's my thoughts:

Cleaner - 150ml for AU$26.00

This is a foaming foaming cleanser which foams up into a creamy lather which feels very nice and mild on my skin without making me feeling too dry at all. I feel it removes the impurities and excess oil thoroughly even in the 1st cleanse (if you remember, I always double cleanse morning and night) so when I do the 2nd cleanse, I use only half the amount of cleanser. My skin is fresh and clean after using the cleanser.
*Hubby thinks: this is a great cleaner leaving him feeling refreshed, non-stripping and clean. He likes it very much which means I will get him more after finishing this one.

Toner - 250ml for AU$28.00

I must confess I was never really a toner girl. I tend to skip toner from my skincare routine most of the time becuase most of the toner I tried contain alcohol and I don't like the stingy feeling on my skin. This toner is surprisingly very gentle and contains no alcohol. It helps to remove any remaining residues or dirts which hydrating and freshen up my skin. Now I start to enjoy using toner before applying any serum or moisturiser.

Gel Cream - 50ml for AU$34.00

The watery liquidy gel cream - I likey!

The Ultra Facial Oil-Free gel cream is has got a watery, almost like liquid texture which I quite like because it feels much more lightweight compared to the Ultra Facial Moisturiser. The gel texture helps absorbing quickly into my skin. It's fragrance-free and suitable for sensitive skin, however I find there's a very light acidic smell to it after putting onto my skin. I wish there isn't any smell to it, then I will enjoy using this gel cream a lot more.

Some products in the post have been sent to me for consideration and review but all opinions made are 100% my thoughts or experiences.

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Golden Lustre

2011-10-05T04:27:00.000-07:00

YSL will be launching 13 new lipstick colours for Rouge Pur Couture Golden Lustre collection next week in Hong Kong. I really really hope these will be coming to Australia very soon although we will only get to see 12 colours because there is one colour being an Asian exclusive limited edition. I'll die if I can't get my buddies in Hong Kong to get me one!

Below pictures are taken from on.cc

Don't you just feel like buying all these?? I do!

#Rose Parisien - Limited Edition for Asia

Look at this purple!!!

What Yves Saint Laurent said

Discreet meeting of gold reflects and colour
A game of variations, a magic fusion.
Purity of light and lightness of pigments.

Lloyd Simmonds reinterprets the iconic gold of Yves Saint Laurent through a collection of lip colours subtly infused with yellow, white and pink gold pearls.

ROUGE PUR COURTURE GOLDEN LUSTRE, variations on a theme for lips as sublime as the most beautiful jewellery.

Here's a link to the Hong Kong Launch Event Video if any of you beauties are keen. P.S. some of the celebrities are speaking in Cantonese while some models speak English, but you'll at least get a sneak peek of the collection!

Hopefully I will have another post when I get my hands on the Rose Parisien!

Alicee x

Illamasqua Theatre of the Nameless Brisbane Launch

2011-10-03T04:46:00.000-07:00

Last month Illamasqua launched the Theatre of the Nameless in Brisbane and I was delighted to have attended the event. I've walked past Illamasqua in Brisbane Myer a few times before getting introduced to the brand. My impression of Illamasqua is colourful, bold and daring. Now let me take you with a photo tour to discover a bit more about the launch for this new collection - Theatre of the Nameless.

A lovely display of the new collection

Daniel showing us a look inspired by Anita Berber

Strike a pose!

Daniel sure got some modelling talents!

Illamasqua Brisbane Dream Team - Tiarah, Daniel and Deanna

Mandi Levanah (right) talks us through about the new collection

Tiarah's model Abbey before the makeup demonstration

Ta Da - Makeup Demo Done!

The new Pure Pigment - Berber and Beguile

The beautiful False Eye Lashes - Grandeur in the middle

Thanks for Illamasqua, each blogger got gifted a goodie bag after the launch. My bag include an Intense Lipgloss in Facade and a Pure Pigment in Berber (love!!).

OMG, I'm in love with these Illamasqua goodies!!!

To find out more about the collection and full list of products, go to http://www.illamasqua.com/collections/theatre-of-nameless/ and you won't be disappointed. Illamasqua can be found most Myer stores in Australian.

Illamasqua on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/IllamasquaAustralia

Product Review: Dove Foaming Make Up Remover

2011-09-15T05:06:00.000-07:00

A while ago I've won a Dove Foaming Make Up Remover from Dove Remove Me competition being one of first one hundred entrants. My prize is a very generous full size product!

My new love of make up remover!

What Dove Said

Alarmingly, nearly 75% of women will sleep with their make up on at least once a week, even though most of us know it’s bad for our skin. The reason? It’s a hassle to remove and we can’t be bothered. As a result, we suffer through rough skin, stinging eyes and even make-up stains on our pillows. That’s why we invented our new super-easy-to-use Foaming Make Up Remover to use as part of our 3-step skincare routine.

Step 1: Simply squeeze three pumps of Foaming Make Up Remover into your hand and apply to your face (dry or wet) to remove the heaviest make up.

Step 2: Wash with a gentle moisturizing face cleanser, such as Dove Beauty Moisture Facial Cleanser, to remove traces of dirt and restore your skin’s moisture balance.

Step 3: Moisturise after washing, with a lotion or cream, to help prevent future dryness and allow your skin to regenerate and recover while you rest.

My experience

When I first pumped the remover I was surprised with the generous amount of foam on my palm but I continued with another 2 pumps as per direction. Then I apply the foam onto my dry skin, gently massage my face thoroughly with extra attention to my eye make up area just to make sure I take the eyeliner and mascara off completely. When the foam start drying up a bit, I’ve added a bit of water to foam it up a bit more. Once I feel the make up should be all dissolved by the cleanser, I rinse my face with water. Oh la la, I can't believe how great this remover is! It washed all my make up off. My skin does not feel dry at all and there is a hint of mild scent left on my skin.

Although this remover has done a great job removing my make up, I still continue with my normal double cleanse routine. Yes I wash my face twice as I learned from Dermalogica workshop. First wash to remove any make up or dirts. Second wash to cleanse the skin and remove any remaining dirts or excess oil. Trust me, your skin will be properly cleansed and ready for moisturising products after the double cleanse!

What I Like

I like how easy to use it is, hassle free, pump straight out of the bottle and you get the perfect consistent foam every single time!

This remover is gentle and mild to the skin, yet it does a great job on removing make up including eyeliner and mascara!

Retail price $10.99 for a bottle of 155ml is just such a good price. Definitely worth your investment!

What I Dislike

Honestly this is so tough for me to think of one thing I don't like about this make up remover as I really like it! Only thing is just the foam tend to dry up after 1-2 minutes of massaging. It would have been nice if that does not happen. But I'm fine with just adding some water to foam it back up again!

What's your favourite make up removal products?

Would you be keen to try this one?

If you'd like to find out more about Dove, their website is www.mydove.com.au.

Dove on Facebook www.facebook.com/dove

BioEffect Brisbane Launch Night

2011-09-13T05:49:00.000-07:00

I have the pleasure of attending the launch of BioEffect's EGF Serum in Brisbane on 24th August 2011. It's a warm and cosy launch which I got to mingle with BioEffect's Australian representatives, Kym and Robyn, and some fellow Brisbane beauty bloggers, Joy, Julianna and Sarah.

Me, Sarah, Julianna and Joy

Robyn, me and Kym

What BioEffect said:

BioEffect EGF serum is a revolutionary anti-aging serum that has been developed in Iceland based on 10 years of biotech research and contains Nobel Prize winning ingredient Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF). It is the first skincare product to contain cellular activators made in plants. The serum is naturally forged in barley seeds grown in volcanic pumice and watered with pure Icelandic spring water (how luxury!) in the renewable geothermal energy greenhouses. It contains only nine ingredients and no known allergens

EGF is natural to human skin which stimulates cell renewal. Benefits of using the serum:

reduces wrinkles
diminishes dry spots
radiates and firms skin
moisturises for an even look
instant visible results

The legendary BioEffect EGF serum.

Gifts kindly prepared by Kym & Robyn for the guests.

I took home with a cute gift box containing a sample of the serum.

My cute little gift box!

The BioEffect EGF serum sample (worth more than gold per weight!)

What I think:

I like the design of the clear bottle that you can see exactly how much serum is still available to use. It also represents the simplicity and pureness of the brand in my opinion.

My skin type is normal combination and without clear signs of fine lines or wrinkles just yet. So I can't make any comments on whether it gives instant visivle results on reducing wrinkles or not. However I do feel the serum is quite moisturising and it does give my skin a glow soon after applying it. With the price tag of $180 for 15ml, it's definitely an expensive investment for the ladies.

Would you be interested in trying this serum?

If you'd like to find out more details about BioEffect EGF serum or make a purchase, please visit their website www.bioeffect.com.au

*Sample provided by BioEffect Australia for consideration and review. All opinions made are 100% my thoughts or experiences.

Product Review: Bobbi Brown High Shimmer Lip Gloss

2011-09-03T23:41:00.000-07:00

Last week I got sent a new Bobbi Brown High Shimmer Lip Gloss to review. The one I've got given to review is Bellini - a warm light pink colour. It comes with a lovely black cosmetic bag (lucky me!! Thanks to Bobbi Brown).

What Bobbi Brown said:
High Shimmer Lip Gloss is Bobbi Brown’s new lip gloss combining gorgeous, light-catching shimmer with lasting, non-sticky shine. Made with fine pearls and clear pigments, High Shimmer Lip Gloss stays color-true and gives lips beautiful, brilliant dimension. Plus it’s enriched with emollients and Vitamins C and E to moisturize, condition and protect lips, so they feel as good as they look. Whether you wear it on its own or on top of your favorite Lip Color, the new tapered applicator lets you apply it like a pro.

Here's a picutre of the swatch of it. As you can see, it's just a very light pink shimmering lip gloss.

Let's see what it looks on my not-so-sexy lips, hahaha. I can see the very fine pearl shimmers in the gloss.

Do you like it? I do.

What I think:
I really like this lip gloss personally. It's glossy, shimmering and doesn't give you the stick feeling like some other lip gloss does. I find it pretty long wearing in turns if the shimmer effect as I can still see heaps of shimmering pearls on my lips after a lunch meal yesterday. However you do need to apply after drinks or meal to keep your lips look glossy and sexy! Bellini is a light warm pink colour which I think it'll suit most people.

Bobbi Brown High Shimmer Lip Gloss 7ml is $42 and available in 15 colours. To get yours, just head to your nearest Bobbi Brown counter or you can purchase online from www.bobbibrown.com.au

Product(s) sent to me for consideration and review but all opinions made are 100% my thoughts or experiences.

GIFT WITH PURCHASE: Origin Greatest Skin Hits Giveaway

2011-09-01T04:24:00.000-07:00

From Monday 5 September through to Sunday 18 September 2011 (or while stocks last), you can score a personalised Origins Deluxe Sample Kit valued at over $40 with any Origins purchase at Kit Cosmetics.

Don't you want to get one too?

You get to choose three of the following greatest skin hits to create your Deluxe Sample Kit:

Origins Checks and Balance Frothy Face Wash 30ml
Origins Modern Friction Nature’s Gentle Dermabrasion 30ml
Origins A Perfect World Antioxidant Moisturiser with White Tea 15ml
Origins Starting Over Age-Erasing Moisturiser with Mimosa 15ml
Origins Plantscription Anti-Ageing Serum 7ml
Origins Ginzing Refreshing Eye Cream to Brighten and De-puff 5ml
Origins A Perfect World Skin Guardian Serum 5ml

We all love Gift With Purchase, but sometimes we got gifts or products that will not be suitable for us. How good is this offer!? The Deluxe Sample Kit can be personalized completed by ourselves to make sure we love every single product we are getting. Don’t want to miss out on such great offer? Head to your nearest Kit Cosmetics next Monday to get your hand on your very own sample kit!

*Offer limited to one kit per customer and strictly while stocks last.

Visit www.kitcosmetics.com or phone 1800 705 800.

Viva La Color Makeover with Kit Cosmetics

2011-08-31T07:35:00.000-07:00

Viva La Colour! Viva La Spring!

Earlier this month Kit Cosmetics unveiled their new colour collection – Viva La Color – inspired by Mexican delights and all things bright. In celebration of that, Kit Cosmetics are inviting us to book in for a one-on-one session with a Kit Cosmetics make-up artist who will create a new makeup look using the new Viva La Color collection. Booking cost will be redeemable for your favourite products!

Very nice layout of the store in Myer Brisbane

I was very lucky to be invited to experience this complimentary makeover at Kit Cosmetics in Myer Brisbane and to share my experience here with you all. I arrived at Myer pretty on time and I got treated to a facial with SUPER skincare products by Dr. Nicholas Perricone. While I was enjoying the facial treatment, I can smell the lovely hint of sweet white fig. Then I find out it was the Archipelago's Signature soy wax candle in White Fig being in used. After the facial, I had my makeover using the new Viva La Color range products. Sorry I didn’t take any pictures of these amazing candles. Do check out Kit Cosmetics stores and these candles definitely worth your investment as both gifts for yourself or friends! My skin is plump and so ready for a makeover after such amazing treat!

Oh la la, I want them all!

I lost the image of myself after the makeover unfortunately so I couldn’t share with you the look created by Kit Cosmetics. However, I’ve got given a very pretty Viva La Rose lipstick (retail price $24.95) and a Mineral Blush in Sweet Cheeks (retail price $29.95) which is a pink with golden luminosity.

Mineral blush in Sweet Cheeks & Lipstick in Viva La Rose

Swatches with flash - blush (left), lipstick (right)

Swatches without flash - blush (left), lipstick (right)

Viva La Rose is one of the 2 limited edition lipsticks. The other is Viva La Berry. The lipstick is incredibly creamy, long-wearing, pigment-loaded and featuring vitamin A, C and E, lip conditioners, chamomile and aloe. I now use this without the needing any lip balm but still has my lips feeling moisturized. The very first day I wear this to work got me heaps of compliments!

If you fancy a makeover and like to pick up some goodies to colour block for this Spring, contact your nearest Kit Cosmetics store to book in your appointment. You won’t be disappointed!

Visit www.kitcosmetics.com.au

Makeup Diary's Huge "Just Because" Thank You Giveaway!

2011-08-23T06:10:00.000-07:00

Makeup Diary, an U.S. based beauty blog by JC, is having a massive giveaway with lots of amazing prizes and it's open to international followers (how awesome!!)

Sure you know I have entered for myself, but I want to share with you so you get a chance to win if you enter too!

Simply check out her blog post http://www.makeupdiary.org/2011/08/makeup-diarys-huge-just-because-thank.html and follow the instructions. I must admit I drool when I browse what's included in the prizes. Enter now so you don't miss out!!

Good luck to us all x

FREE Sample: Discover the Perfect Foundation with Shiseido

2011-08-23T04:05:00.000-07:00

I received an email from Shiseido today for their newly launched Perfect Refining Foundation sample offer. It will be available in different state at a different period of time. Check below dates and pop into your nearest Shiseido to receive a foundation of your choice (liquid foundations only, while stock lasts) after experiencing a complimentary foundation consultation with a specialised Shiseido Beauty consultant.

I crave for Green Tea (seriously!)

2011-08-09T05:15:00.000-07:00

Green Tea (Mucha in Japanese) is a very healthy drink but it's also commonly used in making desserts in Japan and most Asian countries.

I just discovered a few dessert places in Hong Kong featuring different types of Green Tea desserts which I really wanted to share with you. Yes Green Tea is not so boring as we imagine!

Photos from on.cc

Green Tea soft serve & Frappe

Green Tea soft serve in a cone

Green Tea soft serve with red bean & sweet dumplings

Green Tea Creme Brulee

Mucha Dream: Green Tea layered cake

Mucha sponge roll with red bean

Which one do you fancy the most? Honestly I want to try them all!

Jurlique Purely Age-Defying Brisbane Launch Event

2011-08-07T04:39:00.000-07:00

Jurlique is an Australian natural skincare brand founded in South Australia, one of the purest places on Earth, in 1985. Jurlique's mission is to provide the purest, most effective skin care through nature, science and innovation. It has applied innovative science to the formulation of its uniquely effective, natural skin care, drawing out nature’s power and assuring nature is as potent as possible.
Last Tuesday night I have attended the launch of its Purely Age-Defying range in the Brisbane's concert store located in Wintergarden, Queen Street Mall. The New Purely Age-Defyling Ultra Firm and Lift Cream features a triple action high performance formula combined with the power of plant botanticals to firm, lift and strengthn skin. The research has shown that 90% of women experienced smoother, more hydrated skin on the first application while 100% of women showed increased skin firmness after 6 weeks of using the cream.

Lovely display at the store

One of the delicious canapes

Beauty bloggers browsing the amazing Jurlique's products

Thank you Jurlique for our lovely goodie bags!

Me and the amazing Jurlique's girls

After the event, each blogger has got given a goodie bag filled with the Purely Age-Defyling Ultra Firm and Lift Cream, Purely Age-Defyling Facial Serum and Purely Age-Defyling Eye Cream for trial and review. I will post a review on these products after I've tried them.

Jurlique has launched their newly designed website, http://www.jurlique.com.au/, about 2 months ago if you want to purchase online.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jurlique

Twitter: http://twitter.com/JurliqueAust

Chicks At the Flicks - Grease Sing-A-Long

2011-07-27T05:58:00.000-07:00

Compliments to the marketing team of Brisbane Myer Centre, I won double pass to Chicks At the Flicks tonight.

The event started at 6pm with colour blue & red spiders (cream soda with ice cream), delicious mini cupcakes, cheese & crackers platters; mini pies, sausage rolls and hot dogs. There's also a pampering corner for the ladies to get their nails painted with pretty nail polish.

At 7pm, we went into the Event Vmax cinema. Each of us got a goodie bag packed full of goodies!

I know you must want it too. Okay, I'm feeling generous and wanting to organise my very first giveaway. Before I do that, I will need your help to get me 50 followers. Please share my blog with your fellow bloggers, friends and family if you can. As soon as I reach 50 followers, my frsit giveaway will kick off!

FREE: Free pair of sunglasses to be claim on Facebook

2011-07-10T07:28:00.000-07:00

Okay, we got free sweater, now it's time for some free sunglasses!! Limit to first 500,000 likers!

Simply go to a Facebook fanpage:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/First-500000-to-like-get-a-free-pair-of-shades-to-promote-our-new-line/

1. Like the fanpage
2. Share this page
3. Choose your choice of colour and post it our the fanpage's wall

Another freebie claimed!

FREE Sweater - Be the first 100,000 to like a Facebook Fanpage

2011-07-10T02:28:00.000-07:00

Freebies alert!!!

Be one of the first 100,000 liker of a facebook fanpage to get a free sweater!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/First-100000-to-like-get-a-free-sweater-to-promote-our-new-clothing-label/144671362273768

1. Like the page
2. Share the page
3. Choose your colour and size and post your choice on their wall. Too easy!

My Winter Must-haves

2011-06-13T06:58:00.000-07:00

Winter in Brisbane has always been very dry and I can tell my hands and body are screaming for something very nourishing! I'm glad I've bought a Rose trio pack from Jurlique Brisbane - Queen Street Mall store last Christmas as a gift for myself!

In this pack, I've got 3 lovely Jurlique Rose products:

- Rosewater Balancing Mist 100ml
A daily hydrating mist featuring the relaxing scent of rose that restores and hydrates the complexion and is ideal for normal/combination skin types.

REVIEW: I must say I love to use this versatile mist in summer the most. I use it as a toner before apply my serum and moisturiser. During the day, a spritz of mist gives me a refreshing boost to keep me going for the rest of the day! The subtle scent of rose just smells lovely!

- Rose Body Care Lotion 300ml
A lightweight lotion featuring the relaxing scent of rose that restores lost moisture to leave skin smooth, supple and glowing.

REVIEW: I never like to apply body lotion daily unless my skin feels really dry. The main reason being a lot of body lotions are too rich and makes me feels really oily overall and that my skin couldn't breathe! Jurlique Rose Body Care Lotion is surely my rescue. It's light in texture (which I love!). It goes really far on your skin and soaks into your skin really quickly. An excellent delight for my skin for all seasons!

- Rose Hand Cream 125ml
A rich, protective hand cream to restore smoothness and keep skin looking youthful.

REVIEW: Ever since I've bought the trio pack, I've keep the Rose Hand Cream in my handbag with me. I have to admit this is so far the best hand cream I've ever used. The texture seems rich but when you rub it into your hands, the hand cream just magically got absorbed by the skin very well without leaving any greasy feeling! How can I not fall in love with all these great products!

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT JURLIQUE

Since 1985, Jurlique has pioneered natural, high performance skin care products. Jurlique was founded in South Australia, one of the purest places on Earth, in an ideally suited and unpolluted environment where harmony with nature is at the heart of the free-spirited Australian lifestyle.

Yes I'm so proud to be living in Australia and having the privileged of being able to get hold of high quality Jurlique products locally!

To find out more about Jurlique, go to their website, Facebook or follow them on Twitter!